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  • May 8, 2009

    Blog: Hope springs eternal

    By Edward T. Creagan, M.D.

5 comments posted

Spring has arrived — a time of hope when all things seem possible.

For many in the sporting world, it is also a season of promise. In baseball, every team still has a shot at the World Series. For golfers, it is the Masters Golf Tournament. For cyclists, it is the Tour de France.

These athletes embrace the opportunity to succeed, well aware that they also face the prospect of crushing disappointment. Of course, they do not go it alone. They have family, friends, agents, coaches and mentors who are invested in helping them succeed.

Of course, most of us do not perform on a national stage. We are not in the spotlight. We are living our lives and trying to do the best that we can, sometimes under difficult circumstances. But we can still learn from these elite athletes.

Rather than going it alone, we can ask for help. We need people in our corner to sustain us in times of stress — a friend, a spouse, a partner, someone we can turn to for support and encouragement. I for one often feel as if I have blinders on as I stumble through the day. I need another person's perspective to help me see the big picture. It isn't always easy and it takes courage to go to someone and say, "Okay, be straight with me. How am I doing? How can I do better? And how can I use the gifts that I have?"

So, these are just some idle thoughts on the promise of spring. Have I touched on an issue for some of our blog communities? Let me know. As we have stated on many occasions, we learn from each other, we do not learn in isolation.

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May 8, 2009

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